Cougar Town actor Brian Van Holt is boarding Syfy’s Ascension. Holt is joining the cast of the limited series space thriller, which also stars Battlestar Galactica’s Tricia Helfer.

Ascension is about starship secretly launched from Earth in the year 1963, sending hundreds of men, women and children to populate a new world. Nearly 50 years into the journey, as they approach the point of no return, the mysterious murder of a young woman causes the ship’s population to question the true nature of their mission.

Holt (The Bridge, Black Hawk Down) will play the ship’s captain William Denninger, who is described as “a natural leader, a military man and politician … strong-willed and confident.” He became captain of the Ascension as a result of his heroic actions during a fire that nearly destroyed the ship early in its voyage. While strong-willed and confident, he and his wife, Viondra (Helfer), have a tortured marriage.

Ascension is a six-hour drama created and written by Philip Levens (Smallville) who will serve as showrunner. Syfy plans to launch Ascension in November. We can’t wait to see what an early 1960s starship looks like!